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He stood there, drenched, head tipped back as the rain poured over him, praying to anyone—anything—that would listen, that the water might cleanse him on the inside too.
Chapter
Thirty
PERINE WILDER
The incessant rainstorm ravaging Hell had been a nuisance, to say the least. Once walkable pathways had been transformed into rapid rivers. Magical creatures that lived underground scrambled into abandoned boats or climbed up trees to escape the downpour.
Peri, warm and dry, had spent her morning pacing the length of her bedroom. The torrential downpour drummed against her windows, which was calming… even if the amount of rainfall was increasingly alarming. She’d pause to stare out her window lost in thought, before pulling out her notes, and returning to the page where she’d jotted down Laurel’s strange words:
First the stars will slip their long held places.
Then water will swallow the ground in one long breath.
If you do not return what was stolen to the Lady of the Lake, Hellfire will close the gates of Hell forever.
Her frantic pacing was interrupted when the lithe form of Bonegrundle slipped into view, the goblin’s sudden appearance startling her so badly that the tiniest of screams escaped her.
In response, Bonegrundle glared at her.
Peri forcefully cleared her throat. “Sorry—I, um, I wasn’t expecting you.”
Bonegrundle’s eyes narrowed into furious slits.
She swallowed and tried again. “I mean, well, I didn’t know you were around or I would have come to say hello.” She attempted a light-hearted laugh, only it came out sounding slightly deranged. “Oh right, hi! It’s lovely to see you. When was the last time we even saw each—”
“Peri!” Bonegrundle cut her off, pointedly folding her moss-green arms across her chest. “Why haven’t you asked for my help in finding the earring?”
Oh.
Oh!
For a moment, Peri’s mind went entirely blank—because why hadn’t she asked Bonegrundle for help? Her handwritten lists of helpful ideas glared up at her, practically scolding her for considering a hundred less obvious options over Bonegrundle. She scraped a hand down her face. “Obviously, because I’m an idiot.”
Bonegrundle hummed churlishly and in two great strides had Peri wrapped in her arms. It wasn’t a warm hug, goblins were by nature cold-blooded and devoid of anything soft. Yet, it was warm in the way it made her feel. There was a kinship to the moment that had nothing to do with relations, and everything to do with choosing to like each other.
It was camaraderie and friendship that felt more like family than her own flesh and blood currently did.
And for just a moment, while being held by Bonegrundle, she let herself wonder what her life might be like if she didn’t have to sacrifice herself on the altar of her family’s expectations.
“I thought you knew by now that I’m extremely helpful when I want to be,” Bonegrundle said. “So I’m here to help with both the earring as well as helping you find something to wear to Wisteria’s party.”
“I’m honestly not sure it’s smart of me to go.” She stepped away from the hug and brushed some stray curls from her face. “But yes, um, now that you’re here and have pointed out the idiocy of me not having asked you for help—do you know where the earring is?”
“I do not know.” Bonegrundle ran a hand through her strange, wet-looking hair. “But I have friends who might.”
“Who?”
She blew out a breath. “You’re not going to like it.”
Peri glanced at her notes that were now mostly crossed-out, failed ideas. “Are they the only options?”
Bonegrundle gave a long, thoughtful hum. “That I know of, yes.”
“Alright, fine.”
“Fine, what?”
